The Wolves Amongst Us
by TheWolvesAmngUs
Summary: My OC, Gemma finds herself in this strange new city Fabletown looking for a way to better control her werewolf tendencies. She finds a ring that will prevent her from changing on the full moon and discovers a tragedy unfolding in this town. Can she help? Should she help? Or will she just need to run again when her original pack finds her?
1. The Ring

The Wolves Among Us

Chapter 1

The smells of alcohol, piss, dirty cars and god knows what was overwhelming, so was the overbearing sounds of cars, sirens and people chatting. Trash bags, old wads of old black gum littered the street and graffiti covered all the walls. At first all of it was nearly impossible to tune out…but this was the perfect place to hide.

There was something off about this town, Gemma could feel it. She had spent the last four months sniffing around to find this place, the feeling that she had in her bones was proof that she was in the right place. During those months she had been following one clue that lead to the next one in what felt like a never-ending chase. Finally, after months of chasing, she found a crumpled-up piece of paper taped to the door of the crappy motel she was staying at with an address.

 _1284 White Plains Ave, #23, Fable Town, New York_

That set her off on a five-and-a-half-hour bus ride in traffic from New York City to this place… Fabel Town. She carried with her a duffel back that was all of the items that Gema had to her name, mostly clothes. Strange place, Gemma had never heard of this town before. She kept walking up and down the streets obsessively glancing at the piece of paper as if it would give her another clue of how to find the address. It must have been obvious that she was lost.

"You lost?" a woman leaning against a brick wall smoking a cigarette. She wore black stiletto shoes, a short skirt and a purple ribbon tied around her neck. She had short black hair and green eyes and wreaked of some Victoria Secret perfume.

 _Hooker,_ Gemma thought, "Um yeah…I'm looking for 1284 White Plains Ave?"

"You looking for Auntie Greeleaf?" she questioned.

"Who?" I responded unsure.

The girl smirked sarcastically.

"Head down this way," she pointed down the street Gemma had already walked twice, "turn left, then right at the first intersection and on the right side of the street it'll be the Summer Forrest Apartments."

"Thanks," Gemma nodded appreciatively.

She had been going the wrong way, she had turned right at that intersection. She followed the hooker's instructions. The Summer Apartments, it matched the rest of the city at least. There were a few broken widows covered with cardboard and graffiti walls. She entered the apartments, no receptionist. She looked at the chalkboard on the wall.

 _Fifth Floor - 23 - AG_

 _Auntie Greenleaf?_ Gemma thought. She wasn't sure what she was walking into, she knew in her mind that she had to be prepared. Her guard was up as she walked up four flights of stairs to the firth floor. She found the door labeled 23, she knocked on it lightly. She could hear foot steps walking through the apartment towards the door. The door opened.

There stood an old woman with long silver hair in a braid and half moon spectacles. Her old face seemed to be set in a permanent scowl.

"Are you the wolf?" she asked bluntly.

"How do you know-" Gemma began to ask but was cut off.

"I know," She snapped, "come in."

She followed Auntie Greenleaf into the apartment, it smelled of warm candles, lavender and burning sage. Inside the apartment she had a wood burning furnace with a deer head skull above it. Potted plants and tapestries were around the room along with other random oddities There was a work bench along one wall was covered with wood shavings and what looked like some kind of tubes. The most peculiar things was a tree in the window sill.

"What's with the tree?" Gemma questioned her. Seemed odd to have a full blooming tree inside of an apartment.

"It has magical properties," Auntie Greenleaf started to explain. She went over to her wooden storage cabinet and was looking through random boxes. She continued, "the sap from this tree is in the ring I created for you."

There was a magnetic pulse in the room, Gemma could feel it. Only it was a lot stronger than anything that she felt from the witch's covens in Louisiana. The magic here in this city must be much more powerful.

"About this ring," Gemma stated to question hoping that she was not about to get ripped off, "are you sure it will work?"

"Yes," she responded, "trust me wolf, you are not the first of your kind to come to me."

"Who else has come to you?" Gemma asked, "what pack?"

"I don't know," Aunty Greenleaf replies, finally turning away from her cabinet with a ring at her finger tips, "I don't care to ask, the less I have to deal with you monsters the better."

Gemma sneered, "then why help us monsters?"

"The more control you have over your animalistic nature the better off we are all," she replied, the hard lines on her face not moving once. She held out the ring.

Gemma went to grab it and Aunty Greenleaf pulled back.

"This magic comes with a price," Aunty Greenleaf explained wrapping her fists around the ring.

"Right…" Gemma sighed and reached for a small black leather purse that she had wrapped around her.

There was a lot of things that had to be done to achieve this money. Some of the things she wasn't entirely proud of, but she was desperate. The full moon was coming soon and she needed that ring. She pulled out the money that she was told to bring, $3,000. This damn ring had better work. She handed over the cash to Aunty Greenleaf who took it and pushed it into a pocket of her long sweater and she held out the ring.

The ring was made of dark metal, nothing silver. It gave Gemma a pretty bad allergic reaction, a silver bullet could kill. The metal band held a small ruby stone cut into a square, it was quiet a beautiful ring.

"Thank you," Gemma responded trying to sound sincere.

"Yes," Aunty Greenleaf said plainly and went to sit at her work bench and picked up a wood carving tool, "now if you please, leave."

Gemma walked past the old woman, glancing at the thing in her hands. It seemed to be hollow, she was carving some kind of a design into the sides. This was something that Gemma has never scene before, but now she didn't care. She got what she came for and slid the ring on her finger. As she stepped out of the apartment and could feel the effect of the ring. There was a warm sensation that started in her finger and spread over her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, she could feel a difference from the ring, she had never felt anything like this before. This was powerful magic.

Gemma kept walking up through these strange streets of Fable Town. There was something odd about this place. She knew that she had never been to this town before and yet still felt as if she was drawn to this dump of a city somehow. Something was drawing her in, and she knew from past experiences that it was usually a sign for magic and trouble. Something that always had a way of finding Gemma Walker.

This lone wolf was a long way from home. Werewolves of her kind could learn to control their abilities and change on command, otherwise they will only transform on the full moon. The transformation would happen every full moon no matter what and once you do you loose yourself. She was raised in the Falcon wolf pack in the Kootenai forest and taught how to control her abilities. She had no parents, the members of the pack had told her that as a baby she was found in the woods, the had assumed that she was a human, but she changed on the full moon just as the rest of them. The pack had taken her in, she was raised with the other cubs but had no real parents. They had brought in a witch to test her blood as a child, to try to trace where exactly she was from. Gemma never heard the results from her tests. Gemma has started puberty at thirteen, which is the most unpredictable and difficult time for all growing werewolves. Everything went to shit after that.

In the last few years, Gemma has been on the run. When members of her old pack finds her she runs. This is as far east as she has ever run before, wolves tend to not venture into the city. It's a much harder lifestyle. Werewolves of Gemma's kind have much keener senses of smell and hearing. The city was a constant buzz of sounds and unusual smells. It took Gemma a long time and a lot of headaches to get used to now be able to just tune it all out.

Gemma had gotten word on the street that there was a witch that could create a ring that would stop her from changing on the full moon. This would be a great benefit when trying to hide in a populated city. She had been bouncing around New Jersey and New York City and other major cities for a while now chasing down leads looking for a witch that could create this ring.

She needed to find a place to stay, she didn't have much money after dropping the money that she did. She's not going to be able to afford anything nice, she's going to have to find some kind of a job. She grabbed a newspaper out of kiosk and started flipping through looking for rooms. After walking around for another 20 minutes, Gemma found a tenant building that looked like total shit and totally affordable.

She walked in to the building and glanced around. The walls were peeling with old wallpaper, the wooden staircase was all scratched up and a few of the railing poles were missing. From down the hall, the door opened and Gemma tried to hold her shock.

A three foot toad wearing clothes is walking on its hind lefts towards her. Gemma tried to keep a poker face…she had never seen anything line this before. She had seen witches place curses on people to turn into animals…but not like this.

"'Ello," the toad said with a thick English accent, "can I help you?"

Gemma continued to try to hide her shock, she sure as hell have never heard a cursed animal speak, "Um….yeah I just- I was…"

Gemma was still trying to wrap her mind around the face that she was talking with a toad. What the hell was this place?

"I was looking for a place to stay," Gemma stated simply.

"I have a few empty space upstairs, you can take your pick," the toad continued to explain, "rent is $600 per month, due on the first of the month."

"Uh ok," Gemma responded, "sounds good, is it cool if I move in now?"

"Where's all your things?" the toad asked,

Gemma shrugged slinging her duffel back over her shoulder, "this is it."

The toad looked at her curiously, "what's your name?"

"Gemma," she replied. She reached into a pocket of her bag and pulled out $600, she was running low on cash, "here's a deposit for the month."

"Thank you," the toad said taking the money from her hand.

The toads cold slimy hand brushed against hers, Gemma tried to hide her discomfort.

"Go pick a room and come back and I'll give you the key," Toad explained and headed back towards his own unit.

Gemma nodded and headed up the stairs. Her mind was whirling, how was this possible. Was this guy cursed to be a toad? If he was it had to be an insanely strong curse, the magic in this town must above and beyond anything Gemma has experienced.

As she went looking through the rooms that were empty, she simply tried to pick a room that was reasonably clean and didn't smell like piss. She finally picked one off in the far corner of the building. It was far away from anyone else in the building, so she assumed that it'd be reasonably quiet. It was a studio with a small kitchenet with few old appliances, on the opposite wall was a small twin bed, a bedside table and an old lamp. There was a door that lead to a small bathroom. Gemma entered the bathroom and stood in front of the mirror.

She had recently dyed her hair a deep red color and had gotten another tattoo on her bicep. Most of her arms were covered now. She had gotten the tattoos and changed her hair in an effort to try to change her appearance, hoping the members of her old pack would not recognize her. Her hair was in a braid that was falling out now, she pulled a brush and a bottle of water out of her duffel bag. She spent the next few hours relaxing, she was exhausted and sore after sitting on that damn bus for the last nearly six hours. She laid on the twin bed, flipping through the want ads.

She had spent most of her time in the major cities as a bounty hunter. She worked for many bails bonds places, she had an advantage over any regular bail bondsman. It was her nose, she could sniff out anyone even in the chaotic city. That was one trade that was a special skill of Gemma's she had an unusually good sense of smell and being able to pinpoint and follow the trail. She hoped to find something along the same lines as this.

She found something promising,

 **Deputy Wanted**

Looking for an experienced individual to assist the sheriff for deputy work. Duties include executing warrants, responding to emergency calls and traffic violations and assisting with investigations. Individuals can apply at the business office located The Woodlands Luxury Apartments.

-I. Crane and Sheriff B. Wolf


	2. Job Seach

Gemma threw on her black leather jacket and had her hair pulled back into a high pony tail. It was the day after she had arrived in Fabletown, she was going to head out on the town to start her job search. She headed out and down the stairs and out to the streets. She held the paper in her hand with a few different options for jobs circled, her first choice was the deputy job with the business office. First and foremost, coffee.

She walked into a small coffee shop, there was nothing more that Gemma loved than the overwhelming smell of coffee. There were few people quietly chatting and reading the paper in the corner, Gemma really paid no mind to them. She ordered her coffee black and grabbed a few packets of sugar from the counter. She went to the other end of the counter and waited for the barista to finish her order.

Behind her, mostly unnoticed was an individual shielding his face by holding up a newspaper.

"Hello Gemma," a calm and quiet voice said.

The voice struck Gemma, a chill ran down her spine. She turned around and the person holding up the paper placed it down gently. Again, Gemma had to hold back her shock.

There sat a long tall elder gentleman. He had an elongated sunken in face with a thick mustache, he had multiple lines of obvious ageing. The most shocking thing about his was his left eye, his lower eye lid was severely sagging to the point where you could see the muscles on his face. It was grotesque. He wore a pinstripe suit and a gold chain, and he smelled of a particular cologne that reminded Gemma of elderly men.

"How the hell do you know my name?" Gemma demanded, she was always weary of strangers. Especially strangers that knew her when she didn't. However, Gemma could tell that this man was not a werewolf, he was not from a pack that was looking for her.

"I know all that come into this town," he said quietly, he had a somehow disturbingly soothing voice. He also had a British accent, it was more eloquent than the toad, but this was becoming more and more strange.

"I wanted to welcome you to Fabletown," the man said folding his hands, "I wanted to make sure that you were settling in well. I hear that you are looking for a job."

"How do you know this?" Gemma questioned.

"I know everything that happens in this town," he responded.

"Who are you?" Gemma demanded to know. There was something off about this man, mostly his face creeped her out.

"I go by the crooked man," he responded.

Gemma scoffed laughing, "what like that stupid nursery rhyme?"

"I think I may be able to help you Gemma," he said sidestepping her comment, "I know that you've been on the run for a very long time. I know who you are hiding from. I can help."

Gemma's suspicions were peaking, if she had to defend herself against the old man she could. If this man was not a wolf how the hell would he know anything about her. The barista finished her coffee and placed it next to Gemma. The Barista also seemed to be going out of her way to not make eye contact with her. Although Gemma had a feeling that this wasn't in response to Gemma.

"Are you the one that taped that note to my door in Rhode Island?" Gemma asked, secretly testing him to see his response. She wasn't in Rhode Island when she got the note.

"Please have a seat," this Crooked man invited her to sit opposite him, "I hear that you are looking for a job. I believe I can be of assistance."

"What do you mean?" Gemma asked, "What kind of a job?"

"Things that I feel are your forte," the Crooked man responded, "I can use your skills and I can pay you very handsomely. You would not have to live in the apartment that you are in now."

 _He knows where I live,_ this discomforted Gemma. She would have to move again…but then again if he know where she was already, he would probably know where she would go. How did he find out? Did the toad tell this man where she was? She doubted that, but she didn't know any other plausible explanation.

Gemma's gut instinct was telling her that this person was to not be trusted.

"No thanks," Gemma said grabbing her coffee cup and walked out of the shop. She felt a sense of relief when she left.

Gemma chose to put this strange encounter behind her, she needed to focus on finding a realistic job. She made her way down to the Luxury apartments, definitely a hell of a lot nice than the apartments that she's was staying at now. She entered into the apartments and there was a guard sitting at the desk.

"Can I help you?" he asked her.

"Yea I'm looking for the business office?" Gemma questioned.

"The what?" the guard had asked.

"You looking for the business office?" a woman behind her had asked.

Gemma turned around to face a woman standing near the elevator. She had her dark hair pulled back into a bun and bright blue eyes. she had a light tan jacket tied tight around her and a jean skirt.

"Yea," Gemma responded, "You know how to get there?"

"Yes," the woman replied, "I'm heading there now. Follow me."

Gemma obliged, getting into the elevator with her.

"I don't think we've ever met before," the woman said holding out her hand as the elevator doors closed, "I'm Snow."

"Snow?" Gemma asked, unusual name. She extended her hand and shook Snow's, "Uh…nice to meet you. I'm Gemma."

"Gemma," Snow smiled pleasantly.

The elevator dinged as we reached the correct floor.

"Come with me," Snow prompted, and she left the elevator heading down the hall.

As we turned around another corner there was a line of people leaning against the wall.

"You're going to have to wait her," Snow said as she walked down the hall, "actually, what are you here for?"

"I found an add in the paper, witting by-" Gemma said as she went to dig the paper out of her purse, "I. Crane and Sheriff wolf. An ad for a deputy position."

"A deputy position?" Snow asked sounding surprised, "Did you say that Crane and Bigby wrote that?"

"Yeah…" Gemma responded glancing at the people lined up against the wall who were glancing at her equally.

"Ok…" replied Snow, "wait here please."

Snow opened up the door labeled as the Business Office and went inside. Gemma sighed and stood at the back of the line, behind all of the people ahead of her. She was hoping that this wouldn't take all day long.

As she stood there, a man with a greasy slicked back hair and a glassy eye was glancing at her up and down.

"Hey," he said with a sneer.

"Hi," I responded coldly and started picking at my black painted nails. Any excuse to not look at the creep.

The next fifteen minutes dragged by slowly, Gemma's patience was wearing thin, but she needed this job. She could tell that the patience in the others waiting in line was thin too.

Finally, Snow emerged from behind the closed door, "Gemma?"

"Yea?" I called out stepping out of the line.

"Come on in," Snow said holding the door for her.

Gemma walked awkwardly past the others waiting in line.

"What the fuck? I've been waiting in line all damn day!" the guy who was checking her out called out to Snow.

"I understand Grendel," Snow said trying to sound comforting, "we'll get to you as soon as we can, I promise."

"Yeah what a load of shit," the man name Grendel responded shaking his head.

Gemma kept her head down and kept walking. She entered into the business office and follow Snow. Gemma had a sense that there was something off about this town ever since she stepped into it. But now, she was beginning to feel as if she should leave this town. The business office was unlike any other she had been to.

Shock and surprise was a theme of the day, entering into the business office was the same. Right when she waked in the room was much larger than she imagined. Tall pillars held up the large ceiling, it felt almost grand and like a castle. There we all sorts of random unusual objects throughout the room, too many to take in all at once. Large statues of knights, all different storage cabinets, a large blimp hanging from the ceiling. All kinds of random things.

Snow led Gemma to the center of the room where there were a few different desks. Sitting at one of the desks was a man, he glanced at Gemma.

Gemma knew at once that he was like her, a wolf. She could smell it on him and sense it. He had intense brown eyes that were almost golden in color. He had wavy brown hair stubble on his face, he was scowling at her.

"Gemma," Snow started to say sitting at what could only be her desk, "this is Sheriff Bigby Wolf. Come sit."

Gemma took the seat next to Bigby wolf and glance down at the Snow's desk. She had a name plate, _Snow White_.  
"Your name is Snow White?" Gemma chuckled as she took the seat next to Bigby.

Snow looked at Gemma puzzlingly and Bigby grimaced darkly at her.

Gemma shifted in her seat uncomfortably, "Are you parents like really big Disney fans or something?"

Snow opened her mouth as if to say something and paused.

"Gemma," Snow started to say, "so where are you from?"

"All over really," Gemma said switching over into interview mode, "I came here from New York."

"What brought you here?" Snow asked.

"Well I got word while I was sniffing around in New York about a witch that could help me," Gemma responded holding up her hand and turning her ruby ring on her finger, "the magic here is powerful."

"You know about magic?" Snow asked slowly.

"Who's the witch?" Bigby demanded from next to her, "witches aren't supposed to be practicing magic."

Gemma put her hands down and folded them, she didn't want to get anyone in trouble. People like her needed the witch. She didn't understand why they wouldn't allow magic in a town like this.

"It's ok you can tell us Gemma," Snow tried to reassure with what Gemma was now convinced a fake smile.

"Um," Gemma responded thinking carefully, "I really don't want to get anyone in trouble. I'm just here to talk about the deputy position in the paper."

"I didn't post for a deputy position," Bigby explained folding his arms.

"Well…" Gemma said, "it said it was for someone named Crane and Wolf."

"You know if you're going to be a deputy, you're going to have to follow the rules and witches aren't supposed to be practicing magic."

"I thought you weren't looking for a deputy?" Gemma replied sarcastically tilting her head.

No on said anything. Bigby scowled again.

"Why did you go see the witch?" Bigby asked.

This was starting to feel like an interrogation.

"For this," Gemma stated holding up her hand with her finger and glanced over Bigby. He didn't have a ring or any other talisman, "where's yours?"

"My what?" Bigby questioned.

Gemma glanced between Snow and Bigby, something wasn't right here.

"What does the ring do? What's it for?" Snow asked curiously.

Gemma glanced from Snow to Bigby, "Aren't you… like me?"

"You're a wolf?" Snow asked raising her eye brows.

"Yes," Gemma responded and turned back to Bigby, "how do you stop from changing?"

"Changing into what?" Bigby asked.

Gemma felt as she was being titled off her axle. There was something very off about this town, this wasn't a typical witches coven or werewolf pack. The magic here was through the roof, the people were stranger than in any other place that she has ever been. She started to have the gut feeling that she should not stay here. Gemma and Bigby continued to stare her down curiously.

"You know what…" Gemma said caving into the awkward silence, "this was a mistake. I should go."

Gemma stood up slinging her purse over her bag and headed for the door.

"Gemma wait you don't have to leave," Snow said standing up calling after her.

"I know," Gemma said turning around to face them both, "but I think I should."

With that Gemma turned and walked out the door.


	3. Don't Put The Ribbon On

Gemma sat in the afternoon sun outside a small café looking over the want adds and chewing on a soggy $3 sandwich. She kept trying to push out this nagging feeling that she needed to head for the hills out of this town. Only problem was, she didn't have enough money for another bus pass and as of right now, she had nowhere to go. She was going to have to do something for a few weeks to save up some cash to hit the road again. Gemma crossed off the deputy position from the want ads. There was something that was close to what she was looking for.

 **Help Wanted:**

 _Bouncer wanted – looking for a someone for checking ID's, cover charges at the door, crowd control, and security. Apply at the Pudding and Pie, ask for Georgie. 1169 S. Grove St, Fabletown, New York_.

Pudding and Pie? Sounded like the worst name ever for a club, but what choice did she have. She tossed the crust of her crappy sandwich into a trashcan nearby, slung her purse over her shoulder and headed down the street following the address listed for the Pudding and Pie. She was getting better at navigating the streets and memorizing the outline. She turned one corner and saw a neon sign hanging off the wall and had a sinking feeling that it was the Pudding and Pie, it was a outline of a curvy woman. Now she knew for sure that this was going to be a crappy club, why the hell would you call a club like that the Pudding and Pie.

As she got closer there was a clad of women down in the ally. With her sensitive ears she could overhear a part of their conversation

"…been gone for a week now," one woman asked, "have either of you heard from her?"

"No, I asked Holly," another responded, "she hasn't heard from her either."

"You don't think something…bad happened to her, do you?" a third asked.

Gemma walked up to red front door and knocked on it lightly. She stood there concentrating hard on turning out all of the excesses noise. Soon enough, someone opened the front door. There stood a woman with blonde hair with a pixie cut and a purple ribbon tied around her neck.

"Hello," the woman purred with an oddly soothing voice, "can I help you?"

"Yeah," Gemma responded, "I'm here to talk to Georgie about the bouncer position."

"Bouncer?" the woman responded checking her out up and down, "are you sure honey?"

"Yeah," Gemma replied.

"Well Georgie's not here right now," the woman responded.

"Alright, well then when can I stop by?" Gemma questioned.

But from inside the club, Gemma could hear with a thick cockney accent, "Vivian, who the fuck is here so early?"

What was with all the British accents in this town?

"Just some girl asking about the bouncer position," the woman named Vivian responded.

"A girl?" the voice called, and Gemma could hear him stand up and head towards the door.

From the dark hallway behind Vivian he appeared. There stood a tall lanky man, he looked and smelled like he was more than likely hung over. He was dressed in all black and wore a bowler hat. He looked like he had just as many tattoos as Gemma. Only Gemma was never one to get face tattoos, this guy had a tear drop by his eye and a dollar symbol on either of his cheeks. Classy.

The look on the man's face changed once he really got a good look at Gemma, "Hello sweetheart."

Gemma tried to swallow her initial reaction, "hi…I'm here to ask about the bouncer position.

"Well come on in sweetheart, let's talk," he said sidestepping past Vivian and gestured for Gemma to come in, "I'm Georgie."

"Gemma," she responded, and she walked past Vivian who was staring daggers at her.

The club smelled like dogs in heat, not surprising. Together, the three of them walked down a hallway covered in cheap 70's looking wallpaper and posters on the wall of show girls and guys mostly naked. Gemma could practically feel Georgie's gaze on her ass. At the end of the hallway it turned into the center of the club. It was a small room, flooded with blue and pink neon lights. in the center of the club was a main stage with a pole in the center. A few rows of chairs surrounded the stage, off to one wall was a couch with a darkened neon sign of a mermaid. On the opposite wall was a small bar stocked with bottles of booze.

"Take a seat sweetheart," Georgie indicated on the arm chair surrounding the stage.

"Ok if I'm going to work here, you're going to have to call me Gemma," She said sitting on of the chairs crossing her legs.

Georgie snickered and sat next to her, "You're a feisty one aren't ya? I can tell."

"Yeah," Gemma said trying to push past this and focus on the mission at hand, so the bouncer position-,"

"Are you sure that you want to be a bouncer here?" Georgie asked, "You seem like a woman with much better talents than that."

"Well I'm not," Gemma responded, "I know how to fight, I'm strong and I can defend myself and this club."

"Well I wasn't exactly picturing this for my club bouncer," Georgie explained, "how about a position as a hostess or bartender? Somewhere where you don't look so threatening."

"I worked as a server for a day and a half at an Ihop one weekend morning shift and I vowed that I would never do it again," Gemma retorted, "Look I'm not here to be seen, I just need to make money."

"Well that's the point _Gemma_ ," Georgie said leaning back in the chair and pulling out a cigarette, "if you're seen in this club… you will make money."

Gemma roller her eyes but knew that this was partly true.

"Where ya from?" Georgie further asked.

"New York City," Gemma responded

"You got a boyfriend?" Georgie asked.

"No," Gemma responded, "I don't date."

"Why not?" Georgie asked surprised, "beautiful young woman like yourself…"

"I'm kind of a lone wolf," Gemma replied trying to keep her calm. All she really had to do is get enough cash to get a bus pass and plan out her next move.

"Good," Georgie replied standing up and walking over towards the bar, "makes your more mysterious and more beautiful. The people will love it."

Gemma stood and idly followed towards him.

"If you're going to work here you have to wear the uniform," Georgie said opening up some cabinets behind the bar. He rummaged through things and moving bottles.

Gemma half expected him to pull out a bikini top but instead he pulled out…a purple ribbon.

"You'll have to wear this," Georgie said holding it out.

Gemma could practically smell the magic on the ribbon, it didn't smell the same as Auntie Greenleaf's magic. Something in Gemma's gut was telling her not to take it.

"We haven't discussed what we're going to do about my pay? Or what kind of hours that I'll be working before we talk about uniforms," Gemma responded leaning up against the bar."

"Job pays $9 an hour," Georgie said putting the ribbon on the table in front of her, "you'll be covering the nights that Han's isn't here."

The front door opened, and big heavy footsteps came in quickly. Gemma turned around to find a large framed man with blonde hair. He wore a white wife beater tank top and dark jeans.

"Or you might just be replacing Han's all together," Georgie said giving the man, Hans a bitter look.

"Sorry Georgie!" Han's said nervously, "I was out late last night and I forgot to set my alarm and then I missed the bus and I-"

"Just shut the fuck up Hans," Georgie yelled, "this is Gemma. She's going to be our second bouncer."

"Hello Gemma," Hans said smiling politely and held out his hand.

"Hi," Gemma said and shook his big hand and then turned back to Georgie, "So why doesn't Hans get a ribbon?"

"Because men down wear ribbons," Georgie responded grimacing.

"I thought you said that she was going to be a bouncer?" Hans replied curiously.

"She is," Georgie said giving him another intense glare as if to stop talking.

"I thought that the ribbons were only for…" Hans said glancing over at a door.

Georgie's gaze followed Hans, and so did Gemma's.

There was a familiar face standing across the room peering through the slightly ajar door, it was the hooker that that had directed Gemma to Auntie Greenleaf's. Once she realized that everyone was looking at her, she quickly shut the door quietly.

Georgie, Hans and Gemma stood there in the room awkwardly. Suddenly, Georgie's cell phone started to ring. He dug it out of his pocket and glanced at it.

"I gotta take this," Georgie explained, "Hans you're on tonight, Gemma you'll be on too. Hans will train ya. Show her around."

With that, Georgie answered the call and headed for the front door, "Yeah… Crooked?"

"So I guess I'll give you the grand tour," Hans said walking around the bar.

"Alright," Gemma stated leaving the purple ribbon where Georgie Left it on the bar.

Gemma walked around the bar following Hans. He grabbed a key from inside one of the cabinets and moved a black rug on the ground to reveal a safe. He unlocked the safe, inside was a stack of hundred-dollar bills, a gun and a little black book. Hans grabbed the book and pulled it out along with a pen.

"I'll start a page for you," Hans began, "everyone gets a page in the book. The girls record their appointments and you and I will record our hours in here."

He flipped through a few pages, Gemma could see a bunch of writing on each page, but she couldn't make it out. Hans went to a blank page and wrote Gemma's name at the top.

"Appointments?" Gemma questioned.

"Oh," Hans responded looking up from the book, "I thought…"

Suddenly it clicked, Georgie must be running more than just a strip club. So, that girl from behind the door really was a hooker.

"Well…anyways," Hans said continuing on, "record your hours on your page and don't lie. Georgie will know when you're lying. He'll pay you every Monday in cash."

"Sounds good to me," Gemma replied.

"I gotta help move some stuff around but we open. Come back here at 8 when we open, and I'll start training you and we close at 2."

"Ok," Gemma replied.

Hans left heading back for the front door. Gemma checked her own phone, she had about five hours before her shift started. she also started to head for the front door, figuring that she would head back to her apartment and rest before she started her long night. As she exited the Pudding and Pie and headed down the street the same group of women from before were still standing the alley.

"Hey new girl!" one of them called out.

Gemma stopped in her tracks and glanced down. There stood a group of three women.

"Come here," another one called out, "it's alright we don't bite."

Gemma walked down the alley towards them. One of them wore a white low cut dress with a lily in her hair short hair, Vivian stood nearby with her arms crossed smoking a cigarette and the girl that Gemma recognized was also smoking.

"Hey," she said smiling slightly, "I'm Faith."

"Gemma," she replied, "thanks again for your help with finding Auntie Greenleaf."

"No problem," Faith nodded, "we all gotta look out for ourselves since the people over at the business office sure as hell wont."

"Fuck them," Vivian spat taking a puff.

"So, you one of us now?" the other girl in the white dress asked, "I'm Nerissa by the way."

"Hey," Gemma responded, "and yeah I guess so. He hired me to be a bouncer, but I don't think I'll stay here for too long."

"Why not?" Nerissa asked.

"I don't think I really fit in in this town," Gemma replied.

"None of us do hon," Faith agreed.

Gemma smirked, "Yeah well… I _really_ don't think I fit in here."

"Did Georgie give you a ribbon?" Nerissa questioned her.

Gemma pondered this before she decided to respond, she noticed that all three of the women before her were wearing one.

"If those ribbons are apart of your uniform when you're working…" Gemma started to say, "why are you wearing them now?"

"These lips are sealed," all three women responded in unison.

Magic.

"He gave me one," Gemma replied, "but I'm not…like you girls. And purple is not my color."

"Georgie will get mad at you if you don't wear it," Nerissa pointed out.

"I don't care what Georgie thinks," Gemma replied.

"You want to work her sweetie you need to listen to Georgie," Viviane said coldly.

"Yeah or I could just try to get by as long as I can without and see how long it takes for Georgie to notice," Gemma retorted.

Vivian grimaced at her.

"I got to go," Gemma responded, "nice meet you all."

Gemma turned and started to make her way up the alley. She already didn't trust Nerissa or Vivian. From behind her, a pair of high heel stilettos follower her.

"Hey Gemma," Faith called from behind her, "wait up."

Gemma turned, Nerissa and Vivian were making their way back inside the club from a door near the end. Faith was approaching her.

"What's up," Gemma asked.

"Don't put on the ribbon," Faith advised.

"I wasn't planning on it," Gemma responded and glanced down at it on Faith's neck, "it's not just a ribbon is it?"

"No," Faith replied.

"Is it a curse?" Gemma asked.

Faith grimaced and pursed her lips and she struggled to say, "these lips…are sealed."

"I guess that answers my question," Gemma shrugged, "have you tried going to Auntie Greenleaf?"

"She can't help," Faith retorted, "not with this."

"Well…" Gemma replied, "let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

"Thanks," Faith replied smiling.

Something about Faith seemed genuine and sad, Gemma liked her.

"Just to warn you," Faith started to say, "Georgie's a piece of shit especially when he's drunk and you need to watch your back in this town. One of us has been missing for nearly a week now."

"Missing?" Gemma asked, "who's missing?"

"Her names Lily, she works here…doing what we do," Faith explained.

"When's the last time you saw her?" Gemma asked feeling her inner investigator come out.

"Last I saw her was last Tuesday," Faith stated, "we were here, and she was telling me about the next appointment that she had. She went to go meet him and that was it."

"Hm," Gemma said pursing her lips thinking.

"Look all I'm saying is that you need to be careful around here," Faith stated, "we and the other girls, we try to watch out for each other especially now. Although, Nerissa is a dumbass and Vivian…she's a two-faced bitch and she's total loyal to Georgie. She probably sucks his dick every other day or something."

"I believe you," Gemma agreed smirking.

"Yeah," Faith said smirking along with her, "Anyways, don't put the ribbon on. Ever."

"Got it," Gemma nodded, "Thank you Faith. I guess I'll see you in a few hours."


	4. What Is This Town?

**Chapter 4**

Gemma had to plug her ears with cotton balls that night. Faith had given her a couple, not even bothering to ask why Gemma was plugging up her ears anyways. There seemed to be a mutual understanding between the women to not ask unnecessary questions. Gemma got all glammed up along with the rest of the girls figuring that Georgie was somewhat right about her needing to look good for this job, but she would never admit it to him. She Curled her long deep red hair and pulled it into a tight pony tail. She wore low neck black tank top and had equally dark makeup to match the other girls.

Gemma was surprised to find a line at the entry of the club. Together her and Hans stood there eyeing the crowd.

"So, we make sure that we check all ID's, if they're under the age of 18 we give them a green bracelet so that no one serves them at the bar," Han's said going on and on telling her obvious things about being a bouncer.

Gemma noticed that Hans kept checking his watch, keeping an eye on the time. Hans instructed her to go around the club every 30 minutes to check inside. Gemma walked around the club, making sure that everyone was behaving themselves. Behaving themselves enough as a bunch of drunk horny dudes in a crappy strip club can anyways. Georgie and another man were working the bar, mixing drinks. Georgie spotted her.

"Oi! Gemma!" Georgie waved her over after handing off a few mixed drinks.

Gemma held her head and high and her shoulders back and walked over to the bar. There club was smoky now, the loud rock music was muffled under the cotton in her ears, but she could still hear every conversation around her clearly. The two men who took the drinks from Georgie eyed Gemma as they passed with a smirk.

"Yes?" Gemma asked leaning on counter.

"Where's the ribbon?" Georgie asked leaning in on Gemma to speak over the loud music.

"Guess I forgot it," Gemma shrugged, she knew how to deal with guys like Georgie, "too busy working on the claws."

She held up her hands to show her freshly painted black nails with a small smirk.

Georgie smirked back, "Well its part of the uniform."

"Based off of what I see," Gemma yelled back glancing over her shoulder at one of the dancers on stage grinding on the pole in a nothing but a small thong and a purple ribbon around her neck, "looks like there is not much to the uniform."

"If you want to have the same uniform as Desiree," Georgie replied grinning, "I'd love to help make that happen."

"Sorry but I got ID's to check on the guys out front," Gemma responded, "and besides it's awfully cold outside tonight."

Gemma smiled and turned her back and walked away making sure to sway while she walked. She knew that flirting and using her sex appeal was a good way to get out of things, even if she didn't particularly enjoy it.

Gemma stepped back outside the club and took in the cold night air. There was no one else waiting to get in the club, her and Hans just stood there and let in a few stragglers. Hans was still checking his watch.

"Why do you keep checking your watch?" Gemma asked bluntly.

"Oh well…" Hans responded, "Georgie is just expecting a special guest tonight."

"Who?" Gemma questioned.

"Just a business partner," Hans replied and stood against the wall.

Gemma figured that was all she was going get out of him, but she figured that she'd know who this business partner was soon. There was a light breeze through the city streets…and a familiar smell.

Gemma started to sniff the air and started to glance around.

"What are you doing?" Hans questioned her.

Gemma ignored him, following the smell it was coming from a higher up location. She glanced up…and immediately locked eyes with him.

Bigby Wolf. He was standing at the top of the building on the opposite side of the street. His arms were crossed, and his face looked just as grim and serious and before. He was staring down at her. The two kept their gaze locked for a minute, probably both wondering what the other one was doing.

Gemma's gaze was broken when a loud screaming woman was heading their way followed by a familiar face.

"… I've fucking had it with this shit hole club," screamed a woman heading towards them. She had short, slivery white hair probably from age. Gemma could judge by the lines on her face that she wasn't exactly a spring chicken.

"Holly that prick Georgie isn't going to tell you a goddamn thing," said a man following her. It was the same guy with the greased back hair and one glassed over eye, Snow called him Grendel.

"Hello Ma'am," Hans said standing in front of the door.

"Cut the bullshit Hans," the woman, Holly, shouted, "I need to see the piece of shit Georgie.

"Look now is really not a good time," Hans started to explain, "he has a business meeting happening soon and-,"

"I don't give a fuck! My sister Lily has been missing for a whole fucking week now and Georgie knows something about it," Holly screamed at Hans.

"You're Lily's sister?" Gemma questioned.

Holly turned to her with hostility, "what the fuck is it to you? Who the hell are you?"

"Hey," Grendel said stepping up to all of them, "You're that babe from the business office aren't ya?"

"Look Lily's not-," Hans started to say.

"Shut the fuck up Hans!" Holly screamed, "I know you're just the idiot muscle head for Georgie. I want to speak to him now!"

Gemma glanced back up at the top of the building across the street, Bigby was still standing there. Watching them.

"Move your ass Hans," Holly yelled.

"Well uh-," Hans started to say looking defeated, "I need to see your ID first. Club rules."

"Really?" Gemma asked turning to Hans, he really was all brawn no brains.

"Oh, for fucks sake," Holly said just throwing her hands up.

"Just go Holly," Gemma instructed and looked to Hans, "move your ass Hans."

Hans stepped aside and Holly entered into the club. Hans stopped Grendel.

"Gren, Crooked is going to be here in 45 minutes," Hans stated quietly to him.

"Fuck," Grendel spat under his breath and followed Holly into the building.

Now it was just Hans and Gemma. She glanced back up at the top of the building, Bigby was gone.

"Crooked… is that the Crooked Man?" Gemma asked Hans.

"Yes," Hans said sternly and avoided her gaze.

Gemma stood there, waiting. Hans keep obsessively glancing at his watch every 10 minutes. Gemma scanned the rest of the building tops around them, Bigby was gone and so was his scent. What was he following her for? Or was he really following her at all or someone else?

Soon enough, Holly came storming out raging just as much as before.

"Stupid fucking piece of shit," Holy said muttering under her breath.

Grendel was close behind her along with Georgie.

"If Lily doesn't show up soon it's all your fucking fault you piece of shit!" Grendel shouted at Georgie.

"Look I'm not the fucking girls' babysitter!" Georgie shouted back, "If Lily ran off on her own with one of her Mr. Smiths is none of my fucking business!"

"She wouldn't just run off with some fucking scumbag!" Holly screamed back.

"Get the fuck out of my club!" Georgie shouted out them throwing up his arms, "I don't know where your fucking sister is! Gemma!"

Everyone turned and looked at her.

"Get these two fuckers out of my club!" Georgie yelled and turned to Hans, "You make sure they're gone by the time that he gets here!"

Georgie entered back into the club. Gemma turned to Holly and Grendel.

"Save it bitch, I wouldn't want to spend another minute in this shit hole disgusting club as it is," Holly responded and turned and started to walk away.

"You seem like nice girl," Grendel said leaning in towards Gemma, checking her out again, "You shouldn't be working for that scumbag."

Grendel too, turned and started to walk away. Hans stood by looking like a deer caught in a headlight, he checked in watch again.

"Hans, hold the fort down," Gemma said and followed after Holly and Grendel.

"Holly," Gemma shouted running to catch up with them, "Holly!"

Holly and Grendel turned to face her.

"What the fuck do you want?" Holly asked.

"Look I know you don't me," Gemma started to explain, "but I think I can help you."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Holly asked crossing her arms.

"I can help you," Gemma started to explain, "I can find people. It's what I do."

"What do you mean you can find people?" Grendel asked.

"Look before I came here, I used to work at a bail bonds in New York City," Gemma stated.

"Wait, you mean you're not from here?" Grendel asked surprised.

"No," Gemma replied curiously.

What did he mean by that?

"But look point is, is that I can help you," Gemma tried to explain, "I have a way of tracking people and I will find your sister."

Holly and Grendel eyed her curiously.

"Who are you?" Holly asked, arms still crossed.

"Gemma," she responded simply.

"Why the fuck do you want to help me?" Holly questioned.

"Because I can," Gemma replied.

Holly and Grendel stood there, unsure. Gemma wasn't sure that she should be doing this, but it felt like the right thing to do.

"Where can I find you?" Gemma asked.

Holly sighed and seemed to calm down a bit, "the trip trap. It's my bar…on 36th street and Greenwitch avenue."

Together, Grendel and Holly turned and started to walk away. Gemma turned around and also started heading back towards the Pudding and Pie. Hans was still standing there looking grim. He checked his watch.

"Would you stop fucking doing that?" Gemma asked, "please?"

"Sorry," Hans replied shuffling where he stood.

They stood there for about 15 more minutes. More men already drunk filed into the club, Hans started to check his watch but stopped himself when Gemma glared at him.

An alarm on Hans watch went off, beeping a few times. Gemma glanced at him and right on que a dark limousine pulled up to the Pudding and Pie. Gemma took a deep breath feeling her heart skip a beat. She did what she always does, raised her head up high and shoulders back. A wave a tension was in the cold night air. The limo doors opened and out stepped a man in a grey suit, he was bald on top of his head but had grey hair around his head. A large beak like nose held up small lens glasses. Behind him, a woman with short black hair and a single streak dyed the same red that Gemma had. She had a look of pure evil in her eyes, Gemma has seen that look before. She smiled at Gemma, it made a shiver run down her spine. And finally, out came the freak himself, The Crooked Man. His crazy droopy eye still grossed Emma out intensely.

"Hello Ms. Walker," Crooked Man greeted her, "How lovely to see you again."

"You eye is really gross," Gemma stated.

Crooked Man chuckled, "how are you liking your new job?"

"I love it," Gemma replied sarcastically.

"Ms. Walker," Crooked Man said, "allow me to introduce my colleagues. This is Bloody Mary, and Ichabod Crane, he's the mayor of this town."

Something struck Gemma in that moment. Auntie Greenleaf? Snow White? Crooked Man? Bloody Mary? Ichabod Crane? Gemma was now feeling more and more tense.

"What is this town?" Gemma asked, "Where am I?"

Ichabod, Bloody Mary and even Hans gave her a strange look, the same one that matched Holly's and Grendel's. Gemma could feel her heart sinking.

"You're in a town that wasn't always here," Crooked Man said softly, "you don't really think that your world is the only one that exists does it?"

"Crooked, who is this woman?" Ichabod questioned.

"No one of consequence," Crooked Man responded.

"Wait," Gemma said now looking to Ichabod, "you're the Mayor? You work in the business office with…"

Gemma felt silly for saying this, "Snow White?"

"Yes," Ichabod replied, "Why do you ask?"

Gemma rolled the idea around in her head, Snow and Bigby acted like they didn't even know anything about the deputy position in the paper and it was signed by I. Crane. But then again, they never hired her.

"Doesn't matter actually," Gemma replied.

"If you'll excuse us Ms. Walker," Crooked Man said walking forward, Hans opened the door immediately, "We have other business to attend to. Please come find me if you tired of working here, my job offer is still on the table."

Crooked Man entered into the Pudding and Pie followed by Ichabod, who scowled at her and Bloody Mary.

"Nice to meet you… Gemma," Bloody Mary purred with another sadistic evil smile.

"Don't talk to me," Gemma said boldly rolling here eyes.

* * *

Please leave a review, I've never really written a fanficiton with an OC. What do you guys think of Gemma? What do you think of the story so far? Did you guys also hear that another Wolf Among Us game is in the works? Who's excited!?


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